The Letter to Theophilus, Part I

My dear Theophilus, all the brothers and sisters send you greetings in the name of the Lord and the Lady. I will endeavor to answer your questions concerning the teachings of our founders and of all who have preserved the true mysteries of our faith.

The Origin of the True Prophet

Our community in Alexandria was founded by our Holy Queen, Mariamme Magdala, wife and successor of the True Prophet Jesus, before she fled for safety to the land of the Gauls. Her successor in Alexandria was the blessed Saint Kharpocrates, who taught that Jesus was the son of Joseph and was just like all other men, save that his soul was pure and steadfast. He also taught Saint Mark the Wonderworker.

Cerinthus, who also hailed fromAlexandria, taught as well that Jesus was the son of Joseph and Mary according to the ordinary course of human generation, while he nevertheless was more righteous, prudent, and wise than other men. The heretics say, “Mary conceived by the Holy Spirit.” They do not know what they are saying. When did a woman ever conceive by a woman? Jesus would not have said “My Father who is in Heaven” unless he had had another father. He would have said simply “My father”.

Jesus became the True Prophet when the Holy Spirit of the Mother entered into him as he was baptized by John, for before then he did no mighty works. At his baptism the Lord anointed him with power as the True Prophet. After his baptism, the Spirit drove him out into the wilderness about MountTabor, where he conversed with the spirit of Melchizedek. That is why he called the Holy Spirit his true mother.

Sayings of Jesus

Jesus said, “I disclose my mysteries to those who are worthy of my mysteries.” He spoke in a mystery to His disciples and apostles privately, and they requested and obtained permission to hand down the things thus taught them, to others who should be worthy and believing.

Jesus’ students asked him when the Kingdom would come. He replied, “It will not come by watching for it. No one will say, ‘Look, here!’ or ‘Look, there!’ Rather, the Father’s kingdom is spread out upon the earth, and people don’t see it. What you are looking forward to has already come, but you don’t know it. The kingdom is within you and it is outside you.”

Jesus said, “What did Moses write? He wrote that Elohim, which being interpreted, means the gods, said ‘Let us make men and women to be like ourselves.’ So they created males and females, and Adonai blessed them by saying, ‘Be fertile and multiply. Fill the Earth,’ Therefore a man will leave his parents and join with his wife, and they shall become one being, so they are no longer two, but one. When you make the two into one, when you make male and female equal, so that the male will not be dominant nor the female be submissive, then you will find yourself in the kingdom.” When you make the two into one, there is one soul in two bodies; that is not an exaggeration.

Jesus said, “When you strip without being ashamed, and take your clothes and put them under your feet like little children and trample then, then you will see the son of the living one and you will not be afraid.” For this reason we true initiates celebrate our Eucharist skyclad, as Jesus commanded us to do.

Jesus said, “They are my brothers and my companions who do the will of the Father.” There were three who always walked with Jesus: Mary, his mother, and her sister, and the Magdalene. All three were named Mary, but Jesus’ companion was Mary Magdalene. He loved her more than all the other women students, who were also his companions, and used to kiss her often on her mouth. The rest of the students said to him, “Why do you love her more than all of us?” Jesus answered, “Do I love her more than you?”

Philip later said to Mary, “Sister, we know that the Savior loved you more than the other women,” but Simon Peter said, “Make Mary leave us, for females don’t deserve life.” Jesus replied, “Look, I will guide her to make her masculine, so that she too may become a living spirit resembling you men. For every female who makes herself aggressive will enter the kingdom of Heaven.”

Of Our Community

We believe in the sacredness and sanctity of our sexuality, and we initiate those who are worthy into our mysteries. With our initiates, we form a sacred and secret society, keeping each other company in our pursuit of knowledge. For the Hebrew daath signifies both knowledge and sexual union.

The full initiates of our tradition practice sacred sexuality and equality between men and women as Jesus taught. We are all husbands and wives of each other; none of us own another, for Jesus said, “When you rid yourselves of jealousy, then you will be in the kingdom.” Many a woman has escaped from a loveless and brutal marriage to be with us, for we accord women the equality and honor that Jesus taught us God intended women to have.

Some of our initiates, fully trained and empowered, have gone out to proclaim the truth and have initiated many, thus enlarging our community of the faithful. Lately initiates of our community have been teaching and initiating in the valley of the Rhone, whither our Queen came for refuge in her flight from those who were persecuting her and would have slain her.

From our community in Alexandria arose Marcellina, who came to Rome under the episcopate of Anicetus, and taught the truths of our traditions to the Romans. Word also came to us from Romeof the teachings of the blessed St. Valentine, who taught of the joy and holiness of love and marriage, unlike the heretics ofRome, who blaspheme by calling our most sacred gift and blessing a sin.